


The Other Skrull

by marvel_mockingbird



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, Captain America - Freeform, Depression, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hawkeye & Mockingbird - Freeform, Hawkeye - Freeform, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Implied/Referenced Abortion, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Loss of Child, Mental Breakdown, Miscarriage, Mockingbird - Freeform, Mockinghawk, Mutant Powers, Not Canon Compliant, October 12th, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pregnancy, S.H.I.E.L.D., Scarlet Witch - Freeform, Secret Invasion (Marvel), Secret Invasion Spoilers, Skrull Invasion, Skrull(s), Swearing, ant-man - Freeform, friendships, the wasp - Freeform, war machine, west coast avengers - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-10
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:13:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27484825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/marvel_mockingbird/pseuds/marvel_mockingbird
Summary: Originally the story went: Hawkeye and Mockingbird co-led the West Coast Avengers. Fighting evil and protecting the west coast. When Clint Barton seemingly watches his wife die his world turns upside down. This story is a bit different. Bobbi Morse Barton first loses her husband, then finds out the child she is carrying, the last piece connecting her to the love of her life, may not even be his.
Relationships: Bobbi Morse & Steve Rogers, Bobbi Morse & Wanda Maximoff, Clint Barton & Wanda Maximoff, Clint Barton/Bobbi Morse, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Wanda Maximoff/Vision
Comments: 12
Kudos: 5





	1. And So It Starts

**Author's Note:**

> Not currently doing requests. 
> 
> Got the general idea from a tumbler group chat I am in. I can't promise your heart won't be broken with this story. Story is still a work in progress so i can't promise a happy ending. Storied name might change at a later date (I had a really good idea then promptly forgot it).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clint Barton and Bobbi Morse Barton are co-leaders of the West Coast Avengers. While his wife is out of the field Hawkeye takes up a new partner in the Scarlet Witch. While battling a group of mobsters something goes wrong. Upon arriving at the compound it is clear that something is _very_ wrong.

A man with blonde hair fell to the ground with a thud. In his left hand he still clutched a black recurve bow. He gasped, the ground knocking the air from his lungs.  
“Pym, I need you to get us out,” Wanda said into her coms as she ran over to her partner.  
It wasn’t long before a van pulled up. The door slide open and a swarm of ants took out the remaining mobsters. She was very glad Pym decided that he needed to get out of the lab and offered to be backup. 

The van jumped slightly when the front wheel hit a pothole.  
“Hank! Can you try not to kill us before we make it back?” Wanda snapped, though she sounded far more scared than angry.  
“He’s gonna be okay. Mockingbird’s at the compound. We’ll bring him to the lab and he’ll get all fixed up.  
“I can barely feel a pulse,” she positioned herself over his body, placing her hands on his chest “you can’t die. You have a baby on the way. You can’t die.”  
She was supposed to be his partner. This was their first mission together. How was she supposed to face his wife if he died?

Arriving back at the Avengers compound the first thing Wanda saw was someone she considered a friend nearly paralyzed in fear. Bobbi wore was looked like one of Clint’s T-shirts and workout pants. The baggy shirt completely hid the small baby bump she was already sporting. Despite being considered tall and being quite athletic if she was wearing tight clothes you could tell she was pregnant. She couldn’t really get her suit on any more as it was so uncomfortably tight around her abdomen. It would close, but she couldn’t stand it. As soon as she couldn’t stand being in her suit, she no longer would even go as a driver or any kind of field support. Clint had wanted her to stop going out in the field from the moment they found out she was pregnant. She argued that there was no reason she couldn’t help with surveillance, or act as a driver. Clint agreed, but was not too happy about it. Though he would miss having his partner in the field.  
Wanda opened the door to the van and quickly the other Avengers rushed to help. Vision picked up the limp body of their leader. Slowly Vision carried him into Pym’s lab. Rhodey met them there, he had medical training from the military.  
“Something isn’t right,” Wanda whispered to Janet.  
Janet nodded. They all knew something wasn’t right, this was supposed to be easy. Clint should have been able to take down those mobsters no problem. He had an expecting wife to go home too, of course something was wrong. Wanda didn’t meant it like that though. She couldn’t explain what felt off. 

Vision set their leader on a table and Rhodey ran over. He immediately check for a pulse as Vision scanned the body.  
“I can barely feel a pulse!” Rhodey snapped, “Starting compressions.”  
After two minutes of compressions it was clear they couldn’t get him back. They could all tell the moment that he died. Suddenly where their leader Clint Barton had laid was a green figure with pointed ears.  
“What the hell is that?” Rhodey said stepping back from the table.  
Everyone looked over to the door to Pym’s lab. The rest of the team were all gathered there. 

“That’s not Clint,” Janet said looking at the green figure laying in front of them.  
“Bobbi?” Wanda asked worried, placing her hand on her friends shoulder.  
Bobbi was staring at the body in front of them. She hadn’t taken her eyes off it since the moment Wanda opened the side door to the van. The woman seemed almost catatonic.  
“Janet?” Wanda asked.  
“Take her up to her room. We’ll be okay down here.”  
Bobbi didn’t need to see any more of this. 

Bobbi broke down as soon as the door to her room closed.  
“We don’t know where he is right now. He could be safe. He might just be trying to find a secure way to contact us. He could be okay Bobbi,” she tried to be optimistic.  
The two women were huddled on the ground. Bobbi sobbing into her friends shoulder.  
“My husband is gone! I didn’t even know that he was gone! I don’t know how long he was gone! My husband might be dead and I didn’t even notice!” she screamed through her tears.  
The brunette had to take a moment to gather herself. She then noticed how Bobbi’s hand traveled to her stomach.  
“Don’t. Don’t even go there. That is yours and Clint’s baby. When you two told us, there are no powers that can fake that kind of love. It doesn’t matter how much magic you know, or how powerful you are, no one can fake what you and Clint have. He isn’t going to miss out on his child’s life. We will find him.”  
The two stayed where they were, neither had any idea of what to say. 

Bobbi walked slowly into the room, Wanda beside her, to see her team gathered around the body of whatever was pretending to be her husband.  
“I need a sample of DNA from whatever…that is,” she said cautiously.  
“Mrs. Barton. I have taken the liberty of contacting Captain America and his team. They can take over this. There is no reason you should have to be in charge of such a situation,” Vision spoke up calmly.  
“I am in charge! You had no right to contact them! Clint and I are team leaders. He may not be here but I still am!” she shouted at the android.  
“No one is saying that you aren’t. We need to focus our efforts on finding Clint. It wouldn’t be fair to Clint if we didn’t put our efforts towards finding him,” Janet tried to calm down their now frantic team leader.


	2. Leader of the West Coast Avengers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobbi has a choice to make now. Fight to continue leading her team or let someone else take over. With her husband gone and her team seemingly no longer trusting her, the question hopefully won't be if she is _allowed_ to lead or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for a short chapter. I would rather the chapter be short and have a good ending rather then have an odd ending and be longer.

It wasn’t long before the Avengers arrived at the west coast compound. Bobbi waited out front to greet them, faking a calm demeanor the best she could.  
“Steve.”  
“Bobbi.”  
If it weren’t for the circumstances she would have to take a moment to smile that she was on a first name basis with one of her childhood heroes. Yes she had met him a million times before. He and Clint were surprisingly good friends. She used to also train with Steve on occasion.  
“Can we go somewhere to talk?” he asked.  
Anyone could tell she was not okay, that she was barely holing it together. No one was willing to say it though. Steve knew none of her team mates would say it to her face, but he wasn’t a team mate just a friend. She nodded and the two made their way into a small sitting room. It wasn’t lavish, a couch and a few chairs. It was perfect for late nights when she or Clint were plagued with nightmares and decided that trying to get back to sleep right away was futile. They would either share a cup of tea when it was especially cold or just sit with each other. 

Bobbi quickly took a seat on the couch, pulling a pillow into her lap. There really wasn’t anything to cover and Steve knew anyways. Really she was just feeling vulnerable.  
“They meant well by calling me,” he said.  
“I know. It’s just…” she trialed off not knowing what to say.  
“You feel like since you and Clint co led the team you should be able to put aside all your emotions and just focus on the mission.”  
She nodded. He was too good at his job. He was too good at being Captain America.  
“No one wants you to have to do this alone. Clint wouldn’t want you doing this alone, that’s why you have a team. Also you really need to give yourself at least somewhat of a break. You need to make sure you take care of that baby.”  
She nodded.  
“Do you want our help looking for Clint?” Steve asks.  
She slipped her hand under the pillow.  
“I can’t be a leader right now. Can you stay for a day or two? And pick someone to be acting leader until we either find Clint or I can do it. I just can’t be in charge of this right now.”  
“Of course, is there anything else you need?”  
“We need to figure out whatever that thing is, and get rid of it.”  
“You get some sleep. I’ll go meet with everyone else. I would like it if someone kept you company, we never know what you are really dealing with.”  
She nodded.  
“I’m gonna see if I can stay in Wanda’s room. I can’t sleep in my bed. Who knows how long that thing has been pretending to be Clint.”  
Steve nodded.  
“I can go find her if you want to wait here.”  
She nodded. 

“Wanda,” he tilted his head toward the room where Bobbi was.  
“Did she tell you anything?”  
“Understandably she don’t feel comfortable sleeping in her room since she doesn’t know ow long it hadn’t been Clint sleeping next to her.”  
“I can’t imagine what she is going through.”  
“She asked me to take over for the next couple of days. I want someone to stay with her. She mentioned asking to stay in your room. Would you mind being the one to keep an eye on her?”  
“Of course. You didn’t even have to ask. Thank you. Vision should be able to help you with anything you need.”  
He nodded. She walked into the sitting room.


	3. Take The Rest Of The Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With no clear path forward all that can be done is taking it one day at a time. Even if that one day means you have to deal with the fact you may be carrying a shape shifters baby instead of your husband's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m struggling with burnout right now. I will try and get back to this story ASAP. I know how annoying it is as a reader for a story not to be updated. I ask you to be patient and know that I am trying my best.

Bobbi had been crying for at least an hour or so.  
“Hey,” Wanda sat on the edge of the bed.  
There was no response. Not that she had really been expecting one. What was going to be said? Even as Avengers they had never been taught how to deal with a teammates husband or their own husband turning out to be some kind of shape shifting alien.  
“Are you hungry?” she faked a smile.  
“I’m sick,” she turned to her other side, holding her stomach protectively.  
“I can get you some crackers and juice.”  
“No. Wanda you don’t have to be so optimistic.”  
“You really need to eat something. If not for me then for Clint and your baby.”  
“I can’t do it right now.”  
“I’ll come back in an hour. Just rest till then.”

The next day she went to visit a SHIELD clinic. It wasn’t like she could just walk into an average clinic and ask them to make sure she wasn’t pregnant with a shape shifters baby. If it hadn’t been in her body she might be excited about the prospect of getting to analyze a shape shifters DNA. If this child wasn’t Clint’s she had no idea what she would do. This baby may be the last piece of Clint she could ever have. If he was truly gone, then she could at least still have this baby. She could still have a part of the love of her life.  
“Agent 19,” a nurse with redish brown hair called out.  
Bobbi looked up, the woman was wearing dark blue scrubs and her name tag red ‘Pat Smith’. She stood up following the woman into an exam room. 

“What brings you here today agent?” the nurse asked.  
“I need a paternity test.”  
“Alright, do you have at least one of the possible father’s with you?”  
“Clint Barton, his DNA is in the system.”  
“I would need his consent to do so.”  
“Firstly, I’m his wife. Second I don’t know where he is or how long he has been missing. Some kind of shape shifter has been posing as my husband. I need to know if this baby is Clint’s or not!” she was nearly in tears.  
“Alright, let me go speak with the doctor,” the nurse said before leaving -- quickly. 

The doctor walked in. Bobbi hated the looks she was getting. What else could you expect when you tell someone you might be pregnant with a shapeshifters baby?  
“Mrs. Barton, I apologize for the situation. Since there may be a possibility that there is a lot that could be learned we would like to perform an amniocentesis,” the doctor explained calmly.  
Bobbi nodded. She understood why they would want this, but a part of her felt that the tiny risk that could present wasn’t worth it. She couldn’t lose this baby.  
“Okay,” she finally responded.  
“If you are ready we can have the procedure in an hour or so. If not we can schedule this for another day.”  
“I want it done as soon as possible.”  
“Do you want to call anyone? You can have someone with you for the procedure, it might make you more comfortable.”  
“No, I’m fine.”

Bobbi sat uncomfortably. A nurse had just left after walking her through each step of the procedure. She was now playing the procedure on repeat in her mind. Despite being an Avenger and previously a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent she did not like needles. While she could suck it up, didn’t change how much she disliked them. If Clint was there he would have told her to take a deep breath and remember that they were doing this for their kid. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed a number.  
“Hello?” a woman asked on the other end of the line.  
“I know Steve asked you to follow me. Can you please come in?”  
“As long as they let me in.” 

“Come in,” Bobbi said hearing a knock at the exam room door.  
“Hey,” Wanda said slowly walking in then closing the door behind her.  
“I don’t think I can do this without Clint,” Bobbi said with tears.  
“You can. Sorry that Steve had me following you.”  
“He means well. They want to do an amniocentesis. It involves a large needle. I hate needles.”

“After we use the ultrasound to find the babies position we are going to numb the area. Once it’s numbed you shouldn’t feel any pain. You may feel mild cramping and pressure.”  
Bobbi nodded. She was already uncomfortable, nothing was going to change that.  
“Do you want to see your baby?” the doctor asked starting to turn the screen of the ultrasound to Bobbi.  
“Not right now.”  
While Bobbi may not stand being able to look, Wanda still looked up.  
“So far everything looks good,” the nurse tried to reassure Bobbi.  
She felt the doctor clean the area before applying a topical anesthetic Upon feeling the needle get inserted she squeezed Wanda’s hand.  
“Almost done,” the doctor said. 

“We are all done. For the rest of the day you need to just rest. Don’t lift anything over 20 pounds, and no sexual activity. You may experience some cramping. If you have cramps that increase in intensity, duration and frequency or excessive bleeding you need to come in right away. Are you sure you don’t want to look?”  
Bobbi did look over. She couldn’t help herself. If this was the last piece of Clint she had left, she couldn’t lose it.  
“We will contact you results as soon as we have them.”  
“Okay,” Bobbi said.

When they arrived back at the compound the two girls walked to Wanda’s room. Bobbi immediately laid down.  
“I was thinking about making Paprikash. Would you like some?”  
“No thank you.”  
“Bobbi I won’t force you, but you do have to eat something.”  
“It’s morning sickness Wanda. I’ll eat later, I promise.”

Wanda left, making her way to the kitchen. As she passed by the others in the compound they each gave her a sympathetic look. None of them had talked to Bobbi since Steve arrived. She hadn’t left Wanda’s room until her appointment. They would see Wanda bringing her food, but made it a point not say anything. Everyone was very much on edge at the moment. Unless something drastic happened they imagined that wouldn’t change.


	4. Losing My Religion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobbi wants to learn everything she can about the child she is carrying. In the end is it worth it to know? Would it be better to live in the unknown? Grasp onto the last bits of hope, cast a shadow of doubt over what could go wrong. With so much that could be lost is there really anything to gain from learning?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes this title is from a Grey's Anatomy episode. I couldn't think of a title and this was the first thing that popped into my head that fit. Does it fit super well? No. Am I gonna just leave it? Yes, yes I am.
> 
> WARNING: There is very minor mention of abortion and miscarriage in this chapter.

“No! Clint! Please!”  
Wanda was awoken by screams from beside her. She immediately turned over.  
“Bobbi. Wake up. It’s Wanda,” she hesitantly held her friends arm.  
Bobbi had a sheen of sweat coating her body.  
“Clint come back!” Bobbi cried as she shot up.  
“Hey, I’m right here. It’s Wanda.”  
“I need Clint. We have to find him!” she sobbed holding her stomach protectively.  
“We’ll find him. Lay down.”  
“Why?”  
“I learned something. Lay down please.”  
Bobbi laid down, hiccupping back a sob.  
“Vision said that my powers can manipulate energy. To manipulate energy you sense it. Our bodies use energies. Just watch.”  
Wanda shifted so that she was sitting on her knees before placing her hand over Bobbi’s stomach and focused. Soon there were the red wisps of Wanda’s powers peaking at impulses consistent with the heartbeat of a fetus. Bobbi began smiling. It wasn’t the same as hearing the heartbeat but right now this was enough.  
“I think I did something wrong. It’s really fast.”  
“No, it’s perfect. Fetal heartbeats can range between 120 and 170 BPM depending on the gestational age. This is perfect. Thank you Wanda,” placing her hand on her friend’s knee.  
Bobbi smiled watching the red whips rise and fall.  
“Thank you again Wanda. It’s nice to have the reassurance.”  
“Do you know if you’re having a boy or a girl?”  
“It’s too early to find out. But I don’t want to until Clint’s here. He was supposed to be beside me. We were supposed to find out together.”  
“We’ll find him.”

Bobbi had been sitting on Wanda’s bed when her phone started ringing. Upon grabbing her phone she recognized the number being the one SHIELD clinic. Closing her book she answered quickly.  
“Agent Morse?”  
“Yes, this is she.”  
“We would like you to come in so that we could talk about the results.”  
She froze. Her breathing became shallow and her heart raced, her stomach churning.  
“Okay, time?”  
“We have an opening today at one.”  
“I’ll be there,” she pulled the phone away from her ear.  
They wanted her to come in. That could only mean that this wasn’t Clint’s baby. It was that…things. 

“I need to be at the clinic at one,” she said watching Wanda brush her hair.  
The young woman looked back before standing up from her vanity.  
“Okay, do you want me to go with you?”  
“Uhh, yeah I guess. I already know what they are going to say.”  
“Why do you think that?” Wanda took a seat on the bed.  
“Cause if it was Clint’s baby they would have told me over the phone. I just want to get this over with as soon as possible.”  
Bobbi was emotionless. She just stared at the wall.  
“Maybe everything is fine. Maybe they just want to tell you the good news in person.” 

The two women sat in the clinic waiting room. Wanda noticed that every time Bobbi instinctively went to put her hand on her stomach she jerked it away. She hadn’t said anything on the drive over.  
“Agent 19,” a nurse said looking down at her clipboard.  
Bobbi nodded, standing up and walking towards the nurse. Wanda followed behind closely.  
“Take a seat, the doctor will be in soon.”  
Wanda watched as Bobbi sat on the exam table, gripping the edge of the table. 

“Hello Mrs. Barton. I wanted to speak with you about the results of the amniocentesis. Would you like anyone to step out?” the doctor said as they took a seat.  
“She can stay. It’s okay she can hear this.”  
“Alright. We did the paternity test like you asked. We tested the DNA against your husbands.”  
Bobbi bit down on her tongue, trying to hold herself together.  
“The paternity test confirms that the baby is in fact your husbands.”  
Wanda smiled immediately looking to her friend. Bobbi was overwhelmed. She was so relived. Though a part of her wondered if maybe that thing could replica of his DNA. Maybe there was something they found that confirmed it couldn’t be Clint’s.  
“We need to talk about what else we found. We did a complete screening to get the best idea of what is going on with your baby. We detected multiple chromosomal abnormalities.”  
“What does that mean?” Wanda asked.  
“Due to problems with chromosomes it is keeping the baby from being able to properly develop.”  
Wanda stared, still confused.  
“Please just tell me. I need to know, please. How bad is it?” Bobbi asked with tears in her eyes.  
“The best case scenario is you are able to carry your baby to term and they may live for a few hours.”  
Wanda gasped, trying to comprehend what was being said. Bobbi had already begun silently crying.  
“What is the most likely scenario?” Bobbi managed to choke out.  
“Most likely you are going to miscarry before or during your second trimester,” the doctor explained.  
“Are they in pain?”  
“No, they aren’t in pain. You can continue the pregnancy for as long as possible or you can choose to terminate.”  
“I can’t…I’m not ready,” she grasped her stomach protectively.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am getting back into this story but as of now there will not be consistent uploads. Still dealing with burnout. Hopefully this chapter wasn't too jumbled and incoherent. There are also likely to be further mentions of miscarriage and termination throughout this story. I am not trying to push an agenda on anyone. I am zoning in specifically on abortions' that are caused due to medical complications.


	5. All I Could Do Was Cry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The results are in, they are even more crushing than she was trying to prepare herself for.
> 
>  **Trigger Warning** : Reference to termination

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I made some edits to the end of this chapter. It doesn't change a whole lot just adds a bit more insight into what Bobbi is feeling. 
> 
> Decided to keep with the name coming from Grey's Anatomy. If you know the show and you know the episode you might have an idea of what is happening.

“Mrs. Barton, I understand that this is a horrible position to be put in. This is an impossible situation. Whatever you decide I will do what I can medically to support you. You can take as much time as you need, this is not something you need to decide immediately,” the doctor spoke calmly.  
“I think I need to go. I just…I need to go. I’m sorry. I can’t do this right now,” she stood up and walked to the door, yanking it open and walking out of the room.  
Wanda looked to the doctor, clearly feeling overwhelmed.  
“This is a lot to take in. She needs time to processes. The best thing for her right now is let her know you are there but give her space. Like I said she does not need to decide anything right now. Tell her she should call me when she makes a decision.”  
Wanda nodded, listening intently to the doctor’s words. She then stood up and left the exam room. She needed to find Bobbi. If she was struggling to processes this, then she couldn’t even imagine what this was like for Bobbi. 

“Bobbi, wait. Can you talk to me?”  
“I want to go home. I need to go home. I can’t be here right now. Please I can’t deal with this right now.”  
“Okay, let’s go. The doctor said you need to call when you have made a decision.”  
Wanda stepped closer and hesitantly took Bobbi’s hand.  
“I want to go home,” She had tears welling in her eyes and threatening to spill out.  
“Okay, come here. Let’s go,” she wrapped an arm around Bobbi and walked her to the car. 

When the two arrived back at the mansion Bobbi seemed fairly zoned out as she followed Wanda to her room.  


>   
>  “So…you’re the leader of this new Avengers team,” she said hesitantly.  
>  “No”  
>  “I’m confused.”  
>  “We are the leaders of the new Avengers team.”  
>  “What?”  
>  “We are the co-leaders of the team. We’re a team Birdie.”  
>  She smiled at him.  
>  “I love you Clint,” she whispered hugging him.  
>  “I love you too. We’ll always be a team you know. I don’t know what I’d do without my partner.”  
>  “We were supposed to be a team. Clint and I.”

  
Wanda nodded.  
“He always said that we would be a team. Ever since we met we have been a team. I’m not supposed to do this alone.”  
“You aren’t alone. I’m right here Bobbi. The entire team is here to help. We all want to help.”  
“Wanda I don’t think I’ll ever find another person that I love like I loved him. He was my one.”  
“We don’t know that he really is gone. We will find him.”

Back at the mansion Wanda was walking back to her room when she was stopped by Steve.  
“Is he doing okay?” he asked.  
“I don’t know. If we can’t get Clint back I don’t know if she will ever be truly okay again. She loved him so much, more than I am sure how to explain. She has been through so much pain already, it’s unfair.”  
“We have all had too much pain for a lifetime. It’s sad to see more added to her’s. Is there anything I can do?”  
“Not right now. Thank you Steve. Have you made any progress?”  
“No, we are still trying to figure out where it came from. I have been in contact with Nick Fury to see if SHIELD has any sort of record or prior knowledge.”  
She nodded, obviously disappointed, though everyone was disappointed.  
“You’ll tell me as soon as you learn anything?”  
“Of course. Go stay with her. She shouldn’t be alone right now. No one should go through this alone.”  
”Yeah, that’s where I’m going.”  
He nodded, allowing her to continue to her room.

“I want to talk to Clint,” Bobbi said sitting on the bed.  
“I know I’m not him, but you could talk to me. I can be quiet and listen.”  
“Can I just be alone? Just for a bit?”  
“Of course, do you want me to leave?”  
“No, I think I want to go sit in my room for a little bit.”  
Wanda nodded. Bobbi stood up and made her way to her and Clint’s room. 

She hadn’t been in here since losing Clint. It had been two weeks. She sat in the middle of the floor looking around. Nothing had changed since the last time she had been in here. The bed wasn’t made because the last time she had got out of the bed Clint an Wanda were coming back from their first mission together. An extra quiver was sitting on a chair by the bathroom door. On her desk were onesies she had been folding. “Clint,” she whispered. “Our baby is going to die. There is nothing we can do. I don’t think I can terminate though. No matter what I do we won’t get to see this kid grow up. If I don’t terminate now then whenever the baby does die I will have to deliver them then. I don’t know what to do. Clint I wish you were here. Please I can’t do this alone. Our baby won’t get o grow up. You won’t even get to meet them. I wish you were here. I wish that I didn’t have to do this alone. I need you here. I know that it would be painful if you were here, but then I wouldn’t have to be alone. I don’t want to be alone through this. I miss you Clint, I need you back,” she sobbed. She held her stomach. “17 weeks. I am 17 weeks along. They are almost viable. Logically I know that even if I wait until the last possible second to deliver they won’t be able to survive. The doctor said that the baby has a chromosomal abnormality. I wish you would be here with me. I miss you. I wish you were home. I love you Clint.” Her face was flushed and her eyes were becoming red. The bump under her shirt no longer brought comfort, now there was just fear. She stood up, her legs felt as though they would give out any minute. She took slow steps towards the bed. Upon reaching the bed she carefully laid down. If she closed her eyes she could almost imagine Clint lying next to her. Hugging her and telling her everything would be oaky. She still was unsure if the touch she remembered was actually her husband or that creature that had taken him. In her mind because of that creature she was going to lose her baby. There was probably no causations, just correlation but she couldn’t help and blame whatever that was. She had to blame someone. She couldn’t blame her unborn child for having a chromosomal abnormality. It wasn’t their fault. She had to blame someone. Anyone, no matter how irrational it was.


	6. Going, Going, Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobbi continues trying to cope with her losses while the rest of the team must choose the best way to identify whatever replaced Clint and how they can keep it from happening to anyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Termination Discussed

Downstairs the currently active Avengers had all gathered in an attempt to plan their next steps.  
“I don’t understand,” Janet said.  
“I spoke with Nick Fury. The thing impersonating Clint is part of an alien race called Skrulls. They are humanoid shapeshifters from the Andromeda Galaxy. They seem to be a race of warriors.”  
“So these have been encountered before?” Rhodey asks taking a seat at the table they had all gathered around.  
“Fury only found one but has suspected that there were more. As of right now there is not a positive form of identification until death.”  
“Do we have any idea what happened to the person who was replaced?” Janet asks.  
“Not as of yet,” Steve replied solemnly.  
“So we still have no idea how to find Barton, or even if he is alive,” Rhodey states.  
“He is alive,” Wanda said walking into the room.  
“What?” Janet asked.  
“I just mean he has to still be alive. We can’t give up hope,” Wanda said.  
“We know. We are going to do everything we can to find him,” Steve tried to assure her.  
“We need to declare Mockingbird unfit for duty until the issue has been absolved,” Rhodey says looking up from the table.  
Everyone turned to look at him. Steve stepped forward so that he was in between Wanda and Rhodey. 

“We need to talk about this,” Steve stayed calm.  
“She is unfit to be a leader. She is also vulnerable both emotionally and physically. We need consider the greater good. It is our job to be protectors. We can’t do that if we are babysitting the one who is supposed to be our leader.”  
“She is a valuable asset. What kind of team are we if we choose to abandon our leader?” Janet asks.  
“I agree with Rhodey. She could be a liablity,” Hank chimes in.  
“She is our leader! She is going through hell right now! What kind of team are we if we kick her out and make her go through this alone! If it was any of us she would do everything she possibly could and more to take care of us,” Wanda says, a flash of red gleaming in her eyes.  
“It is a possibility that having both her and the alien here could pose a risk,” Vision states.  
“Kicking her out would mean you are also kicking me and Clint out. We all know he wouldn’t stand for this!” Wanda nearly yelled.  
“He isn’t here. We need to accept that he won’t be coming back or that he is dead,” Hank looks over to Wanda.  
Using her powers Wanda throws and pins Hank against the wall. All others in the room immediately stand or take a step closer.  
“Wanda please put him down,” Janet speaks calmly.  
“Oh so we can abandon the leaders of the team but everyone else is off limits!” she yells and her eyes begin to glow red.  
“Wanda they are simply voicing their concerns,” Vision approaches.  
“Clint took me in! No one else would even get near me and Clint took me in, he and Bobbi were the only ones who weren’t afraid of me. They trained me. How can you all give up on them so easily? Clint has saved all of our lives on more than one occasion,” she releases Hank and turns to face the group, “Vision you are the one who vouched for him to get this positon in the first place! So if you think he wasn’t a competent leader all these failing fall on you! No one here has ever questioned their leadership before! She’s pregnant and just lost her husband! Doesn’t anyone here have any compassion! She needs to be here! She deserves to have her family there for her.”  
“Wanda,” Steve places his hand on her shoulder.  
She swatted his hand away.  
“Wanda, it’s going to be oaky. Go upstairs. We all need to take a moment to calm down. I will come get if we have anything. We will figure this out. 

Wanda went upstairs and everyone else was left standing in the room.  
“All of us are a team. That means that we stick by each other through thick and thin. We are supposed to be there for each other. We don’t abandon one of our own. We are Avengers. That means that we are supposed to protect. That protection extends to both our team and those you are so focused on serving. Right now our first priority is to find a way to identify the aliens without having to kill anyone. Then we will find out where our people go when they are replaced. Is this understood?” Steve was stern as he spoke.  
Everyone nodded.  
“Okay good, now let’s get to work. There has to be something this body can tell us.”  
Steve nodded before waking out of the room. He needed to get in contact with anyone who may have encountered these aliens. Anyone who could help identify them. 

Wanda sat outside of Bobbi and Clint’s room. The door was a jar so she could hear soft speaking, though she couldn’t quite make out all the words. Bobbi dialed a number before holding her phone to her ear. She waited patiently until she was able to speak to her doctor.  
“Agent Morse, have you made a decision?” the doctor asked.  
“I don’t want to terminate.”  
“Agent Morse you need to understand that no matter what we do your fetus will not be able to survive outside the womb, and likely won’t even make it to term.”  
“Are they in any pain?”  
“No.”  
“Then I don’t want to terminate. I understand that my baby won’t be able to live a full life. I just need to hold onto them a little longer. Please. You need to understand. My husband is missing, this baby is the last piece of him I have left.”  
“If you do not terminate and your body cannot pass the fetus you could be putting your life in danger. If the tissue is not passed it can become septic and you could die.”  
“I understand what you are saying. I’m not an idiot. I have a PhD in biology I know what species is. I will come in for frequent checkups but I cannot terminate. I have already lost my husband. Can I please hold onto my baby just a little longer. I need to go. I’m sorry but I have to go.”  
The moment she hung up the phone she began sobbing. She knew that no one could fully understand why she was making this decision but for her it was important. It was irrational but she needed to hold onto Clint a bit longer. She wasn’t ready to lose any more. Wanda slowly walked into the room, making her way over to Bobbi and allowing her to cry into her shoulder.


	7. From A Whisper To A Scream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobbi does her best to be a leader to her team despite feeling trapped and terrified of the world before her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long to write. I don't know why. I know where I want the story to go but I am really struggling how too get there. I don't want to just wrap things up with an unsatisfying and rushed ending. I think the last paragraph turned out pretty good and did get me excited to write again.

Bobbi and Wanda walked into the meeting room. Everyone was still gathered around the table.  
“I want to help. I am still the leader of this team and I need to act like it. I am sorry that the last few weeks I haven’t been here,” Bobbi said calmly.  
Steve looked over and smiled. He walked over and gave her a quick hug. Bobbi walked over and took a seat at the table.  
“What do we know so far?” she asked.  
Janet pushed a folder to Bobbi that contained the information Fury had provided them with. 

“They don’t take over the body of the person, so the person could still be alive,” Bobbi looked up.  
“Everything that we have learned so far says that is right,” Vision agrees.  
“Do we know if a blood test can detect abnormalities?”  
“The only blood that has been examined was taken after one died,” Steve said.  
“Have we figured out when that thing got here?” Bobbi ran her hand over her shirt.  
“We still don’t know,” Steve says.  
“SHIELD did an autopsy on the body right? Can I see that?”  
“Here you are,” Vision handed her a small stack of papers. 

They all spent hours mulling over every bit of information they have. Somehow it still felt like they knew nothing. While it was somewhat true they did have a bit. They had more than what they had when they first found that thing, she had to hang onto that. They had more than initially. After those hours of going over those files she needed a break. She excused herself from the group and went up to her room. She pulled on a pair of boots and a coat. She went back downstairs and was stopped as she was opening the front door.  
“Mrs. Barton, where are you going?” Vision startled her slightly.  
“I’m just going on a walk Vision, I’ll be back soon. Don’t go announcing it to anyone. I just want to be alone.”  
Once she had closed the door behind her she stood there for a moment. She felt almost lightheaded, the last time she stood here she learned her husband was gone or at least almost gone. Taking a deep breathe she walked down the steps. She pulled up the hood of her jacket as she started walking down the street. She was no Tony Stark or Captain America so the probability of anyone recognizing her was nearly zero though, especially since she found of she was pregnant, she chose to err on the side of caution. 

She had gotten a bit away from the tower before deciding to sit on a bench to rest. The concreate bench was cold through the material of her pants and was definitely not the most comfortable things in the world. She watched as a man with short brunette hair walking with a woman. She had black hair pulled up into a pony tail. They were smiling, laughing and holding hands. It was infuriating. The urge to slap the dumb smiles off their face was much stronger than she would care to admit. Even as a teenager she was never the one to hold hands and laugh with her boyfriend while taking a stroll through the park. Her and Clint’s version of a date was punching out bad guys. It was definitely a rewarding date, though she wouldn’t classify it as relaxing. Then again relaxing was boring. There was a reason any time they went on vacation it would get cut short by them _accidently _being on call in case of emergences. She was jealous that Clint got to keep going on missions. Yes the fact that she had a little baby growing inside of her was exciting. The most boring kind of exciting. She wasn’t the kind of person who was content with staying home all day, especially knowing that there was so much evil out there that threatened her child. Leisurely strolling through the park wasn’t something she would do…without some powerful but discrete fire power. She and Clint had seriously questioned whether brining a child into such a broken world was the right thing to do. Though the thought of holding her newborn in her arms and watching them as they peacefully slept did make her a bit giddy. The only person as excited at the prospect was Clint. The two decided that if they couldn’t trust the avengers to help keep the world safe and they were on the team then how could anyone else? All of that was before. She wasn’t there anymore. She didn’t know where she was now.__


End file.
